i think one of the best sports for overall conditioning, fitness etc is swimming. I think no other sport works your whole body like swimming does.
I would aggree with that its also good for avoiding injury.
The difference with swimming and many other sports is its actually much more about technique than just pushing as hard as you can and hence can be really rewarding as your technique improves.
If you are lucky enough to have a 50 meter pool nearby then all the better.